Fountain-pen



(No Model.)

B. VALENTINE.

FOUNTAIN PEN.

No. 440,077. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

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RICHARD VALENTINE, OF JANESVILLE, YVISCONSIN.

FOUNTAIN-PEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,077, dated November4, 1890.

Application filed May 5., 1890- Serial No. 350,593. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD VALENTINE, a

citizen of J anesville, in the county of Rock the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in pens, and more particularly tothat class known as fountain-pens.

Many fountain-pens of which I am aware are defective in one or more ofthe following points, viz: The under-feedingpens are more or lesscomplicated, will skip, and are generally unreliable. The upper-feedingpens deprive the user of that fine elasticity and gold-pen action somuch appreciated by lovers of gold pens, by reason of the rubber ormetal top-feeding piece, which necessarily lags on the back or upperside of the nibs of the gold pen. Under-feeding pens are scanty andirregular, and top-feeding pens, if made to flow promptly when invertedfor use, in a few weeks drop or flood. The average fountain-pen iscomposed of a number of parts, and their profitable service isrestricted.

The object of my invention is to obviate the objections of previousdevices and produce a serviceable under-feeding fountain- A furtherobject is to provide an improved under-feeding shaft adapted to feedingink to the under side of the metal pen by the ink adhering to thefeeding-shaft and under or concave face of the metal pen as it passesout of the barrel to feed to the under side of the nibs of the pen inwriting.

A further object is to make a fountain-pen of few parts and practicalutility, one by which to use a small gold pen,if desired, and preservethe appreciated gold-pen action by dispensing with all upper-feedingdevices whatever.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations and arrangement of parts, ashereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is A a longitudinal sectionalview of the device.

Fig. 2 is a cros'ssection through the head of the pen. Fig. 3 is adetached view of the feeding-shaft. Fig. 4 is a view of a modified formof shaft.

A represents the barrel of the pen, having an internally-screw-threadedportion at one end for the externally-screw-threaded shank of the headB. The head B is provided internally, at a point in proximity to thefree end thereof, with a flange a, having notches a at points preferablybelow the center. of the head. A pen 0 is inserted into the head B, andis adapted to enter the notches a of the flange a, and the pen wedged orsecured in the head. Thus it will be seen that an open-air space I) isformed over the pen, which space may be of larger size than the openinga beneath the pen, through which opening a the forward end of afeeding-shaft D is made to project. The feeding-shaft is made in theform shown in Fig. 3, having a rear flat portion 0 adapted to receiveink from the barrel, and at the forward end of the portion 0 the shaftis broadened to produce flanges 0', whereby said shaft is permitted tofit closely within the head of the pen. From the flanges c the shafttapers gradually and terminates in a point 0 The forward tapering end ofthe shaft D is passed through the opening a terminating at a point inproximity to the ends of the nibs of the pen, said tapering portionbeing bent slightly to cause it to lie in or nearly in contact with thepin. By thus arranging the feedingshaft relatively to the pen the inkwill be fed by capillary attraction of the ink to the shaft to the underface of the pen, the top surface of the pen being kept dry, therebyproducing a repellent surface, and in this manner preventing flooding ofthe pen, which is liable to occur where the ink is fed to both the upperand under faces of the pen.

Instead of making the feeding-shaft as above described, it may be madeas shown in Fig. 4, having its upper or rear end bent back so as tosecure it in the pen section or barrel.

By my construction the permanent air-opening above the metal pen permitsa uniform atmospheric pressure, and the ink below thispoint is free tofall by gravitation, excepting as it is restrained by the law ofadhesion of liquids to solids, and is therefore as ready to flow as inthe case when ametal pen is dipped, as was the custom more generally.

It will be noticed that the ink adheres to almost the entire surface ofthe feeding-shaft as it passes out of the barrel and is held underneaththe pen for use.

Slight changes might be made in the details of construction of myinvention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting itsscope. Hence I do not wish to restrict myself to the precise detailsherein described; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In afountain-pen, the combination, with a barrel and a head, of aflange in the head, a pen fitted in the head and having bearing innotches in the flange so as to leave an opening above the pen, and afeeding-shaft terminating on the under face of the pen, substantially asset forth.

2. In a fountain-pen, the combination, with a head having an annularflange therein adapted to receive and hold a pen, of anink- P feedingshaft constructed to lie in one of the passages formed between the penand flange and adapted to conduct ink to the pen, substantially as setforth.

3. In a fountain-pen, the combination, with a barrel and head, thelatter adapted to receive a pen which divides it into two air-passagesof different sizes, of a feeding-shaft adapted for insertion into one ofthe passages, one end of the shaft adapted to lie against the undersurface of a pen and the other end projecting into the barrel,substantially as set forth.

4. In a fountain-pen, the combination, with a barrel and ahead, thelatter having a flange therein, of a pen fitted in the head and havingbearing in notches in the flange so as to leave an opening above andbelow the pen, and a feeding-shaft located below the pen and extendinginto the barrel, said shaft tapering at its outer end and having flangesbetween the ends, substantially as set forth.

In testimonywhereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD VALENTINE.

'Witness es:

A. C. POND, A. P. BURNHAM.

